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Hugg it out for August 7th

While the “worst traffic ever” media coverage builds in Seattle, I heard one mention of “ride your bike,” on the news last night, the Seattle Times offered cycling tips, and mentioned Cascade’s “bike buses,” groups of riders will meet in outlying neighborhoods and pedal downtown together (more on that, when we find the details).

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What are those wheels?

I’ve had a couple people ask me about, “those bike messenger rims”. They come in all sorts of colors, are rather deep sectioned, and tend to find their way onto the masses of fixed gear bikes rolling around downtown.Velocity Deep Vs. I’ve never even owned a pair, but I’ve ridden them and there’s a reason they are on messenger bikes. They are solid, and dependable, and seemingly bombproof. For someone who earns their living with their equipment, you’d expect nothing less.

Another Xtracycle: RANS Dynamik style

“The advantage of the RANS is that the bike is designed so that the rider can put both feet on the ground while sitting on the seat. This makes the bike very easy to start and stop with when carrying a load. It also means the top tube is reasonably low and the bike is easy to step over.”

More photos here. Sherry uses her SUB to promote her business and has ridden all over town with it. As she says, “I call this bike my “truck” and find it very useful and lots of fun.”

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Folding Bikes in Fashion

Unsure if folding bikes will supplant fixies as “urban and fashionable,” but they sure are selling and attracting attention. Dahon reported record sales, the ridiculously-small A-Bike launched, and I heard that during a recent catalog photoshoot the Fly By was the “shiznit.” (Photo Credit: “The Folding Bike Fairy ,” Frank Jackson)

I think the new popularity is driven by necessity, as people look for better transportation options and that’s not limited to leaving the car at home, as the New York Daily News reported

“There’s no need for a bike rack when taking it in the car with you out of town, either âˆ’ just toss it in the trunk … Best of all, I took it with me into stores with nary a squawk from guards, who had no idea what it was, even at the post office âˆ’ I told ‘em it was a time machine.”

Folding bikes make it more convenient for any type of cycling, as Dahon says, it’s “Personal Mobility.” Next week when Seattle expects the “worst traffic ever” Pam is going to ride the Breezer to the Water Taxi, across Elliott Bay, and onto work. When I travel to Taipei, London, San Fran, and Vegas later this year, I’ll take a folder with me and ride all over the place, just like Beijing. And as Todd told me, when Brompton owners fly, they check their bikes right at the gate.

For longer trips, where I want to get out of the city on vacation, I’ll ride the Modal, a bike that folds with S&S, but is full size.